The Tamu Losar in Nepal is the country’s largest and most frequently celebrated festival. “Lo” signifies “new,” and “sar” means “year.” Losar is an important festival for all Buddhists but significant for Buddhist monks. Monks clean their stupas before decorating them. Losar, which means “New Year,” is traditionally celebrated in January, February or December.
During the Losar festival, prayer flags are placed on major Buddhist stupas such as Swayambhunath and Boudhanath. During this occasion, people perform traditional dances and exchange New Year’s greetings through festivals and family reunions. Folklore and dance performances are held in Kathmandu’s Khumbu, Helambu, and Boudhanath districts. Gurungs celebrate Lhosar on the 15th Poush, Tamangs on the 15th Magh, and Sherpas on the 15th of Falgun.
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Types of Losar
Tamu Losar (Gurung Losar)
Tamu Losar is the Gurung New Year celebration for the Gurung community in Nepal. Every 15th Poush, which falls in December or January according to the Nepali calendar, is a day of celebration. Like other Lhosars, the Gurung people also represent the years with a 12-year cycle, each year represented by different creatures. They are garuda, serpent, horse, sheep, monkey, bird, dog, deer, mouse, cow, tiger, and cat. Every Gurung has a connection to a specific totem animal. Every year, it has its totem animal associated with it.
History of Tamu Losar
According to the history of Tamu Lhosar, it has been celebrated since the Rana Period. Before 1961, it was held on Poush Shukla Pratipada, but after that, the date changed to the 15th of Poush, based on the solar calendar. The Gurung people are one of the 59 indigenous groups living in Nepal. The Gurung people mainly live in the foothills of Annapurna in the Himalayan region. The Gurung people are believed to be a wandering tribe that traveled across Tibet and Mustang. Eventually, they made their home in Tibet and Mustang, bringing Buddhism with them in the 7th century. Over time, they began to hold ceremonies and rituals to worship, birth, death, and marriage. Losar eventually became one of the major festivals.
The Gurung community divides its time into 12 years, known as Lohokor. They worship any animal or bird every year for 12 years. The Gurung community’s traditional music is called Rodhi. Ghatu and Chudka are two other well-known and traditional Gurung dances. People organize food stalls in various places that serve unique conventional food. Tamu Losar has a long history of celebration in Nepal. The Gurung people celebrate Tamu Losar, their new year, and stick to their traditions rather than following other calendars.
How is Tamu Losar Celebrated?
Tamu Losar is celebrated in Nepal by the Gurung people. Tamu Losar is one of the biggest festivals, and it marks the beginning of the New Year for the Gurung people. The Gurung community hosts a variety of events to celebrate Tamu Losar. During this festival, people sing various traditional songs and showcase traditional dances. Tamu Losar is celebrated for three days. Due to its significance, the government only provides a public holiday on the last day. These days, people are celebrating in a more modern way, moving away from the traditional methods of celebration.
Back then, people would sip on wine and alcohol throughout the day and enjoy Gurung dishes. But nowadays, people are all about lavish parties and dancing to modern songs. In major cities of Nepal, such as Kathmandu and Pokhara, people come together to organize parties and cultural programs and enjoy these cultural experiences. Tamu Losar is celebrated in Tundikhel grounds, right in the center of Kathmandu, where everyone comes together. People also visit several places like Boudhnath and Swayambhinath stupa during the festival.
Gurung women and men wear traditional attire and display their culture to all. Gurung men wear a Bhangra, a white apron, and a Kachhad, which is short. Meanwhile, Gurung women wear maroon velvet Ghalek with large gold earrings and semi-precious stone necklaces.
Gyalpo Losar
Gyalpo Losar is a celebration marking the new year for the Sherpa community of Nepal, Sikkim, and Darjeeling. The festival takes place annually, starting from Falgun Shukla Pratipada. It is the second day of the waxing moon and continues until the full moon arrives. Gyalpo Losar is considered the Tibetan New Year. The calendar follows a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by an animal: mouse, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, bird, dog, and boar.
How is Gyalpo Losar Celebrated?
Gyalpo Losar is a two-week celebration. The main celebrations happen over the first three days. On the first day, people enjoy a traditional drink known as Changkol, which is similar to Chhaang. On the second day, marking the beginning of the New Year, Gyalpo Losar is celebrated. On the third day, everyone comes together to enjoy a feast. In the monasteries, you can see different traditional dances that show off the battle between demons and gods.
People in the crowd chant mantras and pass holy torches to one another. A traditional dance showcases a battle between a deer and the king. During the festival, you’ll find traditional dishes being served. One of the main dishes is a soup known as Gutung. It has nine beans, meat, rice, sweet potato, cheese, peas, green pepper, vermicelli noodles, and radish. The soup comes with a dumpling on the side.
Khapse, a delicious deep-fried pastry that people often enjoy during the holiday, symbolizes the beginning of festive celebrations. People set off firecrackers to chase away bad spirits. They perform traditional dances like Syabru.
Sonam Losar
Sonam Losar is a New Year’s Day festival celebrated by the Tamang and Holmo communities in Nepal and the Sikkim and Darjeeling areas of India. The festival occurs on the second new moon following the winter solstice, typically Magh Sukla Pratipada, in the eastern lunar calendar. 12 different animals represent the years. They are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, eagle, snake, horse, goat/sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar. Traditionally, the festival is celebrated after the crops are harvested.
How is Sonam Losar Celebrated?
During the Sonam Losar, the Hyolmo people gather at monasteries and stupas. They engage in self-sacrifice while special rituals featuring mask dances take place to ward off evil spirits. The homes and their surroundings are cleaned to welcome the gods and goddesses. During Sonam Lhoshar, people enjoy a variety of foods, including beef, pork, chicken, mutton, fish, and sweet desserts. The main foods that the Hyolmo community enjoys are Khapsey, Babar, and Thongsey.
During cultural events, people wear traditional dresses and jewelry, greeting each other warmly. Tamang Slo and the Damphu are performed during the festival for dance. Syabru is a popular dance in the Hyolmo community.
Significance of Losar
Losar is an extremely important festival in Tibetan Buddhist culture. According to the Tibetan lunar calendar, the festival is significant as it marks the start of a new year. This celebration represents the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. During the celebration, prayers and offerings are made to the gods in hopes of receiving their blessings for the time ahead.
Losar is a time to let go of the past and welcome a fresh start filled with hope and positivity. The festival is seen as a time for spiritual cleansing and renewal. In Losar, people come together to celebrate. Losar is deeply rooted in Buddhist traditions. Its celebrations can last up to 15 days, with the first three days being the most important.
Conclusion
Tamu Losar, often called “Gurung New Year,” is the most significant festival celebrated by Nepal’s Gurung or Tamu community. Tamu Losar signifies the start of the Tamu Sambat, which is the New Year in the Gurung Calendar. This festival typically takes place in December or January. Losar festival is a great chance to come together with family, share greetings, and enjoy each other’s company. Gurung people have traditional attire rallies and cultural programs. On that day, they also visit Buddhist shrines.
FAQs
Why is Tamu Losar celebrated?
Tamu Losar signifies the start of the Tamu or Gurung calendar year. Every year, it is celebrated on the 15th day of the Nepali month Poush. The community divides time into 12-year cycles, with 12 different animals representing each year. These representations are known as “Iho.”
How to celebrate Tamu Losar?
In Tamu Losar, people dress in traditional clothing and exchange greetings. They go to monasteries and shrines to worship and perform rituals, then seek blessings from the elders. The festival also includes a big feast of Gurung cuisine.
What happens during Losar?
During Losar, people typically light butter lamps and make offerings. They participate in prayers to invite positive energies and blessings for the community’s spiritual well-being in the year ahead.
Which Losar is celebrated by Magar?
The Magar people celebrate a major festival known as “Chhaigo,” which is regarded as the New Year for the Magar community, based on the Naagchi Sambat calendar. The Magar community celebrates various festivals such as Chaiti, Rungma, Keja, and Yacha, among others.
What does Tamu mean in Nepal?
The Tamu are a Gurung people living in the hills and mountains of Gandaki Province of Nepal. The Gurung people call themselves Tamu. In the Gurung language, “Ta” means thunder, and “mu” means sky.
